It was all too much. She sank down on the couch and buried her face in her hands. Why did he have to make everything harder?

Light footsteps tapped on the porch, too light to be Heath’s. She heard a knock. Dragging her feet, she rose, crossed the room, opened the door…and screamed. To her credit, it wasn’t a horror movie scream, more of a yelpy kind of gaspy thing.

“I know,” a familiar voice said. “I’ve had better days.”

Annabelle took an involuntary step backward. “You’re blue.”

“A cosmetic procedure. It’s beginning to peel. May I come in?”

Annabelle moved aside. Even without her blue face, which had begun to crack like a cheap alligator purse, Portia hardly looked her best. Her inky hair lay flat against her head, clean but not styled. Her white sweater had a fresh coffee stain on the front. She’d gained weight, and her jeans were a size too tight.

Portia took in the cottage. “Have you talked to Heath?”

“What are you doing here?”

Portia walked toward the kitchen and poked her head in and out. “Claiming my last introduction. You chose Delaney Lightfield. I choose you. Welcome to Power Matches. Let’s see if we can find you some makeup? And a decent outfit wouldn’t hurt, either.”

“You’re nuts.”

She gave Annabelle a surprisingly cheerful smile. “Yes, but not as nutty as I used to be. It’s interesting. Once you’ve terrified a restaurant full of people—a Burger King near Benton Harbor—you’re basically liberated from ever again worrying about keeping up appearances.”

“You went into a Burger King looking like this?”

“Potty stop. Plus Bodie dared me.”

“Bodie?”

She smiled, her blue lips making her very nice teeth look a little yellow. “We’re lovers. More than lovers. In love. Bizarre, I know, but I’ve never been happier. We’re getting married. Well, he hasn’t agreed yet, but he will.” She studied Annabelle more closely and frowned. “From those red eyes, I can see you talked with Heath and that it didn’t go well.”

“It went very well. I told him no and walked away.”

Portia threw up her hands. “Why am I not surprised? Well, as of now, playtime is over. You amateurs have had your fun, but it’s time to step aside and let a professional handle this.”

“You have clearly lost your mind, not to mention your looks.”

Surprisingly, Portia didn’t take offense. “My looks will be back in spades. Wait till you see what’s underneath all this.”

“I’ll have to take your word for it.”

“I told Heath not to talk to you without me, but he’s pigheaded. And you…Ofall people, you should have known to be more sensitive. Haven’t you learned anything about this business? Two different men have ordered me not to call you a twit, but, honestly, Annabelle, if the shoe fits…”

She marched to the door. “Thanks for stopping by. Sorry you have to leave so soon.”

Portia sat on the arm of the couch. “Do you have any idea how much courage it took for him to accept the fact that he’s fallen in love with you, let alone to come here and lay his heart on the line? And what did you do? Tossed his feelings right back in his face, didn’t you? Extremely unwise, Annabelle, especially with Heath. He’s very emotionally insecure. From what Bodie’s told me, I suspect that’s exactly what his subconscious expected you to do, and I don’t think he’ll have the guts to ask you again.”